The present invention relates to a system for processing fabrics or webs continuously.
Known in the art have long been systems for impregnating fabrics or webs with a resin and then hot curing the resin. Such prior systems comprise, in general, a vat containing the resin to be applied in a liquid state, through which vat the fabric to be impregnated is caused to pass, and a kiln maintained at an adequate temperature through which the resin impregnated to the fabric is dried and cured. The fabric or web material to be impregnated is unwound from a roll of material and again wound into a roll after the treatment.
In order to operate on a continuous basis, it is necessary that the splicing of the trailing end or edge of an unwound roll of fabric or web to the leading end or edge of a fresh roll be effected rapidly and accurately, without the whole system requiring to be stopped to replace a feed roll upstream of the system. Like considerations also apply to the removal of a wound roll downstream of the whole system.
The web or fabric splicing, while posing problems of splice strength and holding power, is also to ensure true alignment of the two spliced fabrics or webs, if undesired stresses are to be avoided in the fabric which might result in breakage or tears due to misalignment over the support and deflector rolls through the system.
An unwinding assembly has already been proposed which is operative to splice together the ends of two webs or fabrics to be treated by interposing a suitable adhesive tape crosswise and then trimming the spliced fronts. However, this known procedure has the disadvantage that it can in no way ensure that a true alignment of the two spliced webs or fabrics is achieved. Any misalignment upstream of the system reflect in operation problems throughout the system and may be the cause for irreparable damage to the fabric or web to be treated.